National Embryo Donation Center

(2/2) "Aaron here. Our journey to Joshua was filled with challenges, but it redefined what family means to us. Growing up, I dreamed of building a family, and infertility shattered that dream. But God had a different plan. My mom's words during our darkest times stuck with me: 'The desire of your heart is to have a family and be a dad. He didn’t tell you how He would make that happen.' Embryo adoption through the NEDC was our answer. The support and compassion we received felt like a breath of fresh air. When we first saw Joshua’s embryos, we knew we were on the right path. The day he was born was a profound moment of fulfillment. Now I’m loving the little things about him that mean so much: sharing a donut before daycare, watching him develop his unique personality, and seeing his smile light up the room. Joshua's quiet curiosity and intentionality remind me daily of God’s perfect plan. Joshua has not only enriched our lives but also those of our extended family. My parents, who live in New Hampshire (we’re in GA), feel like Joshua has been part of our family for much longer than his 1.5 years. My dad says, 'Joshua’s smile and laughter light up the room. He is incredibly loved, and his caring nature is evident even at such a young age.' My mom, who shared in our struggles, feels blessed to see Joshua’s bond with his cousins and the joy he brings to family gatherings. Micayla’s parents, who live in Minnesota, also find immense joy in Joshua. Her dad says he learned patience while waiting for Joshua and felt the joy of seeing him grow through pictures and visits. Her mom recalls the first time she held Joshua: 'He snuggled right in, and I felt an instant connection. It’s special to have him recognize us and look to us with love during FaceTime.' Family is more than biology; it’s about the love, support, and shared experiences that bind us together. Joshua’s presence in our lives has taught us the true meaning of family. He is our miracle, a testament to God’s faithfulness and the love that surrounds us from our family, friends, church, and the NEDC."

More inspiring stories: https://www.embryodonation.org/personal-embryo-adoption-stories

(1/2) "I'm Micayla, and this is our story of hope, perseverance, and the incredible journey to parenthood. Aaron and I met in college, and from the start, we looked forward to sharing our family traditions and our mutual love for Disney with our future kids. But after we started trying to have a baby in November 2015, month after month brought disappointment. Our dream seemed to slip further away with each negative test. In June 2017, our worst fears were confirmed: we couldn’t conceive naturally. It was a devastating blow. We turned to domestic infant adoption with renewed hope. But the wait was long, and each unchosen opportunity broke our hearts a little more. Three years passed, and after experiencing three failed placements, we began to lose hope. The emotional toll was immense. Then, we discovered embryo adoption. Initially, we thought it was too risky compared to traditional adoption, but as options dwindled, we decided to take a leap of faith. We chose the NEDC for their commitment to the sanctity of life and their supportive approach. From our first interaction, we felt cared for, understood, and seen as more than just patients. When we were finally matched with our embryos, the process seemed surreal. We hoped and prayed fervently. The day we found out we were pregnant was filled with overwhelming joy and relief. Every step of the way, the NEDC staff, especially Dr. Keenan, provided us with confidence and support. Our hearts were full of a hope we hadn't felt in years. Joshua’s birth was the culmination of years of prayer, heartbreak, and perseverance. Holding him for the first time, I felt an unbreakable bond and was reminded of God's faithfulness. Joshua is the joy of our lives, embodying everything we had hoped and prayed for. His gentle and observant nature brings us immense happiness. He loves balls, cars, and anything that puts wind in his hair. His curiosity and kindness are a testament to the love and care we have poured into him. Joshua reminds us daily of the beauty of our journey and the strength we found in our faith and each other."

Here's this week's second NEDC family story from WBIR Channel 10 on its own.

Local Embryo Donation Center causes global impact Sonnie was born through embryo adoption with the help of the National Embryo Donation Center based in Knoxville.

Two amazing NEDC family stories featured on WBIR Channel 10 this week- check 'em out!

Powell family advocates for more testing in newborn screenings after daughter's death Mabry Kate died from a rare neurological condition called Krabbe disease at 10 months old. Her brother Owen was also diagnosed with the condition.

Wishing you a weekend full of fun and exploration, just like Hannah, NEDC baby 1480! She's 5 months old and thriving!

And if you have a few minutes for inspiration over the weekend, check out some of the personal embryo adoption stories of NEDC families. https://www.embryodonation.org/personal-embryo-adoption-stories

Summertime, and the livin's easy for brothers Nehemiah (NEDC baby 1016), Jonah, & Judah (1335 & 1336)!

Hard to believe they were once frozen, microscopically small embryos. What a joy to see results like this as we share the love of Christ through the life-affirming process of embryo adoption! Learn more about the mission & vision of the NEDC. https://www.embryodonation.org/about

He did indeed survive The Great Thaw! Congratulations to Celeste & Joel, along w/big brothers Josiah & Levi, on the birth of Benjamin, NEDC baby 1527!

Helping precious souls like Benjamin through The Great Thaw and into loving families is what we're all about. https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

"We are so blessed to have and celebrate her, and are beyond grateful to you all for the gift of her, and the baby that we are now carrying."

-Jaime & John (along w/big sis Ava), parents of Emma, NEDC baby 978 (who just turned 4 this month) and another NEDC baby yet on the way

Happy birthday from Knoxville, Emma!

What a joy to see God's handiwork in person! Thanks for stopping by, Monica & Aaron, to let us meet Elijah & Isaiah, NEDC babies 1506 & 1507! So happy for this family!

God has His hand on these precious lives, and it's our honor to care for them.
https://www.embryodonation.org/about

Made with love and a little science- and isn't she adorable?! Congratulations to Jenn, Justin, and big sister Rylee on the arrival of Alexandra, NEDC baby 1526!

Embryo adoption is an awesome way for formerly frozen embryos like Alexandra to find forever homes. https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

We're loving our new space! Thanks to your prayers & financial support, the NEDC is going strong in our new location. It's a joy having more room, along with considerably upgraded mountain views to help inspire our team to aspire to the highest levels of service!

It's more important now than ever to partner with the NEDC in our mission to bless children and build families! https://www.embryodonation.org/support-nedc

Big bright summer smiles! This is how life should look when you turn 4 like Adin & Lilah, NEDC babies 967 & 968, did this month. Happy double birthday from Knoxville!

Finding forever homes for former frozen embryos like Adin & Lilah is what we're all about. https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

It's been a busy past few months! Lots of changes, and we know you have questions. Here's your chance to pose those questions directly to Dr. Keenan.

We'll be holding a Zoom call Tuesday evening, July 30 at 6:00 Eastern for just that purpose. Here's the log-in link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84676930170?pwd=QL6ugYoSgQKWooAcMHIFvHsNH4l2tt.1

A couple ground rules to join:
-You must be a current or former NEDC patient.
-You must use the camera on your computer when you join.

Dr. Keenan looks forward to taking your questions!

NEDC twins Kyzen & Ryken celebrated their first birthdays this month! Aren't they adorable? Happy 1st from Knoxville, and congratulations to parents Tommy & Marcy!

Embryo adoption is all about giving precious lives like Kyzen & Ryken, once frozen in time, a chance to realize their promise. https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

Big congratulations from Knoxville to overjoyed parents Jordan & Trisha and big brother Roen (also an NEDC baby!) on the arrival of Matai, NEDC baby 1525! We couldn't be happier for this terrific family.

We're here to protect image-bearers of the King like Roen & Matai. https://www.embryodonation.org/about

"His big brother, Julian, is absolutely smitten and loves his new role. We are in an open adoption and have absolutely LOVED getting to share photos of our boy with his genetic family. They have been so supportive and encouraging throughout my entire pregnancy and have even made it a point to include our own biological son (Julian) in the gifts and messages we exchange. We are so grateful for all the work the NEDC does for God’s tiniest image-bearers. Thank you!"

-Jordin & Philip, parents of Noah, NEDC baby 1524. Congratulations to this wonderful family!

Is embryo adoption for you?
https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

(2/2) “Once we learned more about what embryo adoption was, all the pieces started falling into place. We wanted children and felt called to adoption- and this was quite literally the perfect solution! I had totally dismissed any thought that I would ever be pregnant, so I had to reframe my state of mind: We really could do this and ‘have it all!’ We felt drawn to the National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC). Its life-affirming reasons for providing embryo adoption truly aligned with our hearts. We submitted our application in February 2021, and by September we were pregnant from our frozen embryo transfer (FET). Cooper was born in June 2022. He is the light of our life, such a good kid, and ALL BOY! Cooper loves Toy Story, playing outside, being in the water, working with Dada, and snuggling with Mama. His innocence allows us to see the world through his eyes, and he has brought a peace we never knew we needed. Through Cooper, and the process God used to bring him to us, the NEDC has had an incredible impact on our lives. We came into embryo adoption feeling so unsure and guarding ourselves- expecting the same disappointment we were so used to. But the NEDC embraced us and encouraged us every step of the way. I've never felt as touched by any clinic or doctor's office- the personal relationships, attention to detail, PATIENCE (that's a big one for someone who is a tad bit anxious), and willingness to serve all stood out. We couldn't be more thankful for all they did to allow us to build a family. In fact, if the NEDC wasn’t here, we would likely not have any children. It's heartbreaking to think we were almost to that point. Now it’s hard to even remember what life was like without Cooper.”

-Lauren Bailey, mom of Cooper, NEDC baby 1200
More inspiring embryo adoption stories: https://www.embryodonation.org/personal-embryo-adoption-stories

(1/2) “I’d known since eighth grade that I had PCOS. The doctor told me that might make it difficult to have children one day. So, when Logan and I became serious early on, I had to have a difficult conversation with him. He never even skipped a beat. We both wanted children, even if there were obstacles involved. Once we married, we knew we’d need to start trying pretty quickly. In three years, we went through five rounds of Clomid, four rounds of Femara, two surgeries, and three chemical pregnancies. At that point, most doctors were saying our journey would likely end in IVF. Logan and I had concerns about IVF, though- not only financially, but also the thought of having to decide what to do if we had embryos remaining. I was working as an adoption counselor, and we always knew we wanted adoption to be part of our family in some way; we just weren't sure how or when. At this point we finally decided the time was right and started the process to adopt from Korea. Then the COVID pandemic hit. Since we weren’t very far into the process, we knew it would be a long time before we could match with a family or travel, so we switched to domestic adoption and began waiting for a birth mother to choose us. One finally did, but our match dissolved. Another roadblock, another heartache. We were beginning to think we might just never become parents. Then my mom mentioned a friend who’d become pregnant with her adopted child through embryo adoption. What an amazing concept! She wondered if we could, too. But we’d lost so much money in the failed match, I just wasn’t sure. Could our budget -and, more importantly, our hearts- really handle it? Over the next several weeks, though, I kept seeing different embryo adoption stories in different ways -TV, social media, you name it- and could feel the Lord pressing on my heart. Little did I know the same thing was happening with Logan. We took a couple more weeks to research and pray on it.”

You just never know where you'll find NEDC kids- even in the cockpit! Jonathan, NEDC baby 885, earned his wings on a flight this year!

Precious souls like Jonathan are why we're here.
https://www.embryodonation.org/about

Great opportunity- see if you qualify to apply!

@💲💲FERTILITY TREATMENTS ARE EXPENSIVE💲💲

Parental Hope is here to help lift that financial burden so those battling infertility can focus on becoming parents. We are excited to announce that the 2024 Fall Grant Application Cycle is NOW OPEN!!!

Applications MUST be submitted by September 30th! We will be awarding multiple family-building grants.

📌Visit ➡️ https://parentalhope.org/parental-hope-family-grant-2/

Please share this post if you know someone who could benefit from our grant programs.💜


Institute for Reproductive Health National Embryo Donation Center

It's a colorful summer for Hudson, NEDC "baby" 794! (He's 5.5 now.) Great to see you enjoying it, Hudson!

Embryo adoption with the NEDC is all about bringing color & life to forever families!
https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

Don't you wish you could always sleep this peacefully? The family of Hannah, NEDC baby 1480, says she's thriving at 3 months old. Congratulations Alice, Eric, Miriam, & Benedict!

Getting precious lives like Hannah "out of the freezer" is what the NEDC is all about. https://www.embryodonation.org/about

It's an exciting month for NEDC siblings Sawyer (baby 1033) & Tuf (1369), along with parents Phillip & Tate! They're in an open adoption relationship, and this month they're meeting Sawyer & Tuf's genetic family. We know it'll be a blessed time!

Curious about embryo adoption? https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

It's our privilege to continue to hold all of our June transfer cycle families in prayer, including Christina & Dustin. Prayer is the glue that has always held the NEDC Family together- and that'll never change.

Laurelai, NEDC baby 1196, just turned 2 last month! Here she is celebrating with parents Ashley & Tyler. Happy birthday from Knoxville!

God is at work using the NEDC to produce special moments like these. Learn more about our mission & vision.
https://www.embryodonation.org/about

What a joy welcoming Drew, Sarah, and Maddie, NEDC baby 1256! Can you believe Maddie was frozen 19 years?! Also, a big thanks to this family for the wonderful goodies!

Getting God's tiniest image-bearers, like Maddie, "out of the freezer" is what the NEDC is all about.
https://www.embryodonation.org/adoption

Hello, world! Meet Faith, NEDC baby 1515. Congratulations, Brian & Karen, on your sweet daughter!

Getting precious souls like Faith "out of the freezer" is why we're here. https://www.embryodonation.org/

The baby boom continues! We're so glad Lenya, NEDC baby 1517, has arrived! Big sis Selah and brother Caleb (baby 1151) are smitten. Congratulations to them, along with parents Brian & Sissy!

Embryo adoption is life-changing. Check out dozens and dozens of NEDC family stories that serve as living proof.
https://www.embryodonation.org/personal-embryo-adoption-stories